Vent Gleet, Parasites, or normal moulting??

[WellingtonCoop]

We have a coop of mixed breeds, all purchased at the same time from the same poultry farm. They were all born at the same time, and raised together. We have red sex links, azures, and noirrans.

The red is sex links and noirrans have very irritated bums. Azures are fine. All of the girls have had this problem at some point or another, and since we are relative novices with backyard, chicken, keeping, we just watched and monitored for worsening symptoms, and since nothing ever progressed, we just assumed it might just be molting. Our coop is freshly cleaned, the bedding is pelletized horse bedding (previously straw), and they get freshwater every single day, along with organic chicken feed, grit, and oyster shells. In the spring through autumn, they get fresh herbs from the garden.

I’m starting to think this isn’t molting, but rather vent gleet, parasites, hierarchy pecking at night, mites or something else?

I want to treat promptly so that they are comfortable. They are continuing to lay beautiful eggs every day. However, there was one single egg that we know was from the red sex links, that had some blood on it.

They get along extremely well.

Thanks all!

* I tried taking better close-ups, but they are extremely speedy! Let me know if you need better photos and I’ll try again.

 

[WellingtonCoop]

Edit to say that the black chicken breed always seems to have the most irritated bottoms. One girl has a swollen vent, and everything looks rather puffy and enlarged. Not shiny, but always collecting poop and feathers, and nearly bald.

 

[nuthatched]

They could be picking each other if you've rolled out mites. Picking is caused by nutritional unbalance, boredom, tight areas etc.

 

[WellingtonCoop]

Thanks for your comment! I haven’t ruled out mites. Not sure how to figure that out definitely. Suggestions warmly welcome!

We adopted one extra bird than our coop math would allow, because she would have been abandoned. And now I wonder if it’s a tad cramped. They all love to roost together since they were little. And we never see any aggression or pecking, but perhaps at night?

 

[sean_wonder]

I always prefer to err on the side of just a bit too much space than just a bit not enough. Bullying happens really rapidly, but it's weird that it's all on their bellies.

I'd say you're most likely dealing with parasites, potentially feather loss being worsened by other girls pecking the red skin. To check for mites, catch one of them and look around their vent. Depending on where you are, assuming it's still cold there, you'd be most likely looking for Northern Fowl Mites, which look like dark specs crawling around the vent and underneath tail feathers. When it's really bad you could see them around their preen gland, under their wings, and around their keel.

Check this link out for more info on NFM.

There's also Red Mites but those live in the coop and feed at night rather than living on your birds. Again, depends on your area and temps.

Red Poultry Mite info.

**Edit to mention I am not super familiar with vent gleet, so if anyone else is please add your input